Leith
Rules Golf Society
The aim of the Society is to increase the recognition of Leith Links as
the home of the earliest recorded rules of golf and one of the
game's prominent early locations

The
Original Rules
The rules tell us something about the challenges faced by
the early golfers and the society they lived in. They are reproduced
below, followed by what appears to be the first amendment, after
"frequent dispute".

They seem minimal when compared with all the rules, sub-sections and
special rulings - many created after "frequent dispute" ! - that comprise the modern-day rule book.

However, the essence and spirit of the game that they capture bears a
striking similarity to our modern rules.

Our current Secretary, Brian Graham, received a gift of a framed copy of the rules,
number 223 of a limited edition of 1,000, produced by the Honourable
Company of Edinburgh Golfers. [more]

Articles & Laws in Playing at Golf - 7th March 1744

You must Tee your Ball within a
Club's length of the Hole.

Your Tee must be upon the
Ground.

You are not
to change the Ball which you Strike off the Tee.

You are not to remove, Stones, Bones or any Break Club, for the
sake of playing your Ball, Except upon the fair Green & that
only within a Club's length of your Ball.

If your Ball comes among Watter or any wattery filth, you are
at liberty to take out your Ball & bringing it behind the
hazard and Teeing it you may play it with any Club and allow your
Adversary a Stroke for so getting out your Ball.

If your Balls be found any where touching one another, You are
to lift the first Ball, till you play the last.

At
Holling, you are to play your Ball honestly for the Hole,
and, not to play upon your Adversary's Ball not lying in your way
to the Hole.

If you
should lose your Ball, by it's being taken up, or any
other way, you are to go back to the Spot where you struck last,
& drop another Ball, And allow your adversary a Stroke for the
misfortune.

No man at Holling his Ball, is to be allowed, to mark his way
to the Hole with his Club, or anything else.

If a Ball be stopp'd by any person, Horse, Dog, or any thing
else, The Ball so stop'd must be play'd, where it lyes.

If you draw your
Club in order to Strike & proceed so far
in the Stroke as to be bringing down your Club; If then, your
Club shall, break, in any way, it is to be Accounted a Stroke.

He, whose Ball lyes farthest from the Hole is obliged to play
first.

Neither Trench, Ditch or Dyke, made for the Preservation of
the Links, nor the Scholar's Holes or the Soldier's Lines, shall
be accounted a Hazard; But the Ball is to be taken out / Teed /
and
play'd with any Iron Club.

John Rattray, Captain

[Rule 13 appears to be a local rule, but the others are relevant to
the general principles of how the game was played at that time].

Amendment
to the Articles &
Laws - 1758

The 5th and 13th Articles of
the foregoing Laws having occasioned frequent Disputes it is found
convenient that in all time coming, the law shall be, that in no case
whatever a ball shall be lifted without losing a stroke except it is in
the Scholars holes when it may be taken out, teed and played with any Iron
Club without losing a Stroke - And in all other cases the ball must be
played where it lyes, except it is at least half covered with Water or
filth when it may, if the player chuses, be taken out, teed and played
with any club upon loosing a stroke.